Whether it’s perennials or summer plants, it’s good to know how to choose the right types of plants. In doing so, it is not important to be guided by their appearance or size, but by other criteria. When planting flowers, it is important to keep in mind the climatic conditions, that is, to choose those species that will be able to succeed in the place you have planned for them.
A big role is played by whether the balcony, terrace or garden is in the shade, semi-shade or in direct sunlight. It is also necessary to take care of the wind.
Plants that love the sun
If you have a garden or balcony that faces south or west, then these are very sunny areas for which it is recommended to plant only those types of plants that love the sun and that will not be harmed by high heat. Below you can read which plants love the sun and which are ideal for planting in such positions.
Verbena
Verbena or spore is a plant that catches the eye with its beautiful flowers and is the most common balcony flower that is sometimes planted on flower beds. Verbena is ideal for those gardeners who are beginners and who do not yet have a lot of gardening experience because it is a fairly undemanding plant. It can grow as a creeper or in the form of a bush, and will tolerate strong sun and drought very well. With verbena, you should not overdo it with watering, but do it only when you notice that the soil is dry.
Gazania
It has large flowers whose petals can be a combination of several colors. If you live in a cold, continental area, you should know that this plant will not be able to survive the winter. If by some chance you manage to save it, next year its stems could get another row of petals.
Gazania can be planted on beds, in planters and jars, and the most important thing is that it is located in a place where it will have access to a lot of sun and that at night the temperature does not fall below 10 degrees Celsius. It is not necessary to water it if the surface of the soil is wet, because then the root will rot. Dead flowers should be removed regularly and fed at least every two weeks.
Agave
Agave is known for the fact that it likes a lot of sun and does not mind even the greatest heat, and the reason for this is that it originates from Mexico. It has fleshy and thick leaves that serve as a reservoir for water, so it is not necessary to water it regularly, except in the phase when it is actively growing. What is specific about agave is that it blooms only once in its life and then dies, and its flowering can take up to several dozen years.
There are some species of agave that can grow up to seven meters, and also, depending on the species, useful fibers, juice and the well-known tequila can be obtained from the agave. If it is grown in the continental parts of Croatia, during the winter it is definitely necessary to store it in the house and in a room that is not colder than 5 degrees Celsius. It is watered very rarely, i.e. only when it can be seen that the soil has lost all moisture.
Angelonius
Angelonias are also sun-loving plants. They can be perfectly combined with verbena or petunias, and the most common ones here are those that bloom in white and purple. They grow up to 25 centimeters, and in addition to the sun, well-drained soil suits them. It blooms until the end of October, if it is provided with good conditions such as sun and moderate humidity, as well as fertilizing, which needs to be done every two weeks. It is possible to plant it on beds and in jars.
Pelargoniums
Pelargoniums are certainly the most popular balcony flowers due to their velvety and lush flowers that can last until the end of autumn. Pelargoniums can grow as creepers or as bushes. They like the sun and well-drained soil, and it is recommended to add perlite or sand to the soil.
They need to be watered regularly but moderately because they do not like too much moisture. Their flowering will be better if they are regularly removed from the spent flowers.
Angel’s trumpets
These are plants with beautiful trumpet-shaped and bell-shaped flowers that can grow up to four meters in height. It is possible to plant them on garden beds or in a jar. They tolerate the sun very well, but are sensitive to wind. When the angel’s trumpet flowers bloom, they need to be removed to allow new ones to come and to prevent the formation of fruit.
This plant likes well-drained soil, and during the winter months it should be transferred to a closed space with plenty of light, which is not colder than 5 degrees Celsius. After you plant it, it should be regularly fertilized and later thinned.
Succulents
Succulents are known for not requiring frequent watering, except in the summer, and for loving full sun. Many succulents have a protective layer of wax on the surface of their leaves and stems that helps them retain moisture. Because of these characteristics, they are quite undemanding to grow and adaptable. Read more ideas on how to plant houseplants here.
After summer and autumn, they can adapt very well to indoor spaces and successfully overwinter in the house. They can also be indoor plants because the way of care and cultivation is the same as when they are planted on the terrace, balcony or in the garden.
Other plants
Due to the thick protective layer of cells on the fleshy leaves that retains moisture, sun-loving plants are also thirsty plants that have a large number of short and tall varieties. The hairs on the leaves, which for example have five-fingered and scaly leaves, also help to reduce evaporation.
Plants that are ideal for sunny positions and heat are mostly of Mediterranean origin, and due to their structure, they lose very little water, so they can tolerate drought well.
Such plants have silvery or gray-green leaves that reflect the sun well, so the plants heat up less and therefore the water evaporates less. Perovskia, lavender, rosemary, svetolin, sage, immortelle, wormwood belong to this group of plants.
There are also some types of plants that protect themselves from drying out with their thorny and stiff leaves, and if you are a fan of such plants, then you could certainly plant sedum and sycavica in your garden.
Kotrjan is known for its unusual blue flowers that are characteristic for the period from July to August, and sikavica has blue flower balls that resemble thistles and are often used as dried flowers in arrangements.
Herbs such as thyme and thyme, as well as sage, also protect themselves from drying out with their small leaves.
Ostrugica protects itself from drought with the help of its deep roots that reach the water reserves located in deeper layers. It belongs to the group of Mediterranean plants and tolerates frost well, so it can also thrive in continental areas. It can grow up to 60 centimeters, and it blooms from June to August. If you cut it in July, you will encourage it to flower again in September.
The yarrow, which can grow up to 80 centimeters in height, will tolerate drought and sun very well. Yarrow most often comes in yellow, although it is also available in red in many garden centers.
An interesting perennial is also the gaura, which blooms from July to September, and is adorned with fragile pink or white flowers.
Dry beds are suitable for ornamental grasses such as various types of sedges, fescue and ornamental sedge.
Despite the fact that we cannot plant the desired type of flowers or herbs on the balcony, terrace or in the garden just because we like it, because we have to take into account the position and strength of the sun during the summer months, choose some of the plants we have mentioned. Most of them have the ability to retain moisture and can easily withstand strong summer sun and high heat. If you decorate the beds with these plants with gray or white pebbles, you will get a wonderful corner in your garden or on the balcony.
Caring for such flower beds will not take much time, they will be attractive and will not require frequent watering, and at the same time you will know that you have planted species that will not dry out during hot weather.
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